Catheters are used to treat many different types of medical conditions and typically include an elongated catheter tube that is inserted into and through a passageway or lumen of the body. Urinary catheters and, in particular, intermittent urinary catheters are commonly used by individuals who suffer from certain abnormalities of the urinary system, such as urinary incontinence. With the advent of intermittent urinary catheters, individuals with problems associated with the urinary system can conveniently self-catheterize to drain the individual's bladder. Individuals who suffer from urinary incontinence will self-catheterize several times a day.
Self-catheterization involves removing the catheter assembly from its package and inserting and advancing the catheter tube through the user's urethra. In many cases, users of intermittent urinary catheters have limited or diminished dexterity that is often the result of spinal cord injuries. Users of intermittent catheters are often required to self-catheterize outside the privacy of the home, such as in public restrooms. Thus, for these and other reasons, it is desirable that the intermittent catheters are provided in discrete packaging that is easy to open, compact and portable, and wherein the catheter can be deployed and used in a way that alleviates concerns about inadvertent urine leakage or spillage and avoids pain or discomfort to the user.